Man taken into custody in connection with Newell Fire
Suspect was near car in flames that was reported stolen Monday
A man with burns to his body and non-life threatning injuries has been taken into custody and is a person of interest in the Newell Fire, according to Napa County Police Department Public Information Officer Henry Wofford.
As of noon on Tuesday the Newell Fire, which began Monday afternoon, was 60 percent contained and had burned 132 acres, according to CalFire’s website (https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/). The man taken into custody was first reported running from the car at approximately 6:15 p.m. on Monday.
“On Monday afternoon soon after the fire began, American Canyon residents reported a man running from his car, a fourdoor 2000 Honda Accord, which was parked off the road near the 5000 block of Newell Drive,” Wofford said. “When approached by deputies, the man admitted to being involved with the fire … There is no timetable on his release, but officers wishing to eventually speak with him are guarding the door.”
The car was reported stolen on Monday and belongs to a resident living in
Vallejo.
Wofford went on to say that the man taken into custody, whose name is not released, is a person of interest but was not arrested yet and has not been formally booked. Cal Fire is conducting an investigation and has not ruled out arson as the cause of the fire. The Napa County Sheriff’s department is investigating only the stolen vehicle portion of this case.
Soon after the fire began, American Canyon Road was closed until about midnight. An evacuation warning was eventually given about 30 minutes after the fire began, but lifted soon after 8 p.m. that night. The
warning was for residents living east of Broadway Street near Highway 29.
The Vallejo Fire Department helped out with the containment of the Newell Fire — sending Engine 25 and 525 to assist the American Canyon Fire Department. Those crews have returned from that incident on Tuesday morning.
The winds blowing south into the East Bay made conditions difficult for firefighters.
“The dry and windy conditions certainly doesn’t help the situation,” Vallejo firefighter and spokesperson Aaron Klauber said Tuesday. “It makes fire behavior more severe and unpredictable.”
VFD dealt with another fire early on Monday night at approximately 11:20 p.m. on the 800 block of York Street.
“Arriving crews found an approx 700 square foot inlaw unit on the alley side approximately 50 percent involved,” Klauber said. “First line went to exposure protection and then an interior attack brought the fire under control. Red Cross on scene assisting several displaced occupants and the cause is under investigation.”
As of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, VFD was working a 3-alarm structure fire at the Food Maxx, at 27 Panorama Drive in Vallejo.